City make an excellent start to the 2005/2006 campaign, coming from behind to take a hugely creditable point from Championship favourites Norwich.
The Canaries led at the interval through Dean Ashton but a second half goal from Dele Adebola earned City a deserved share of the spoils in a match where three players were awarded their Sky Blues debuts in the season opener.
On-loan goalkeeper Stephen Bywater went straight into the starting eleven, with Clayton Ince on the bench, while Matt Heath lined-up in defence alongside Robert Page. James Scowcroft featured on the right hand side of midfield.
Marcus Hall recovered from the hamstring strain which prevented him from turning out against Port Vale last Friday to play at left back as Richard Duffy started on the left.
For Norwich, former Sky Blues man Darren Huckerby lined up in a dangerous-looking triple-pronged attack along with Dean Ashton and Leon McKenzie.
City started brightly, as Stern John won a free kick inside the first minute some 35 yards from goal but the Norwich defence dealt with skipper Stephen Hughes' delivery, who also failed to provide quality balls from two more set pieces in the opening five.
Gary McSheffrey was looking lively and after making an electric run from the edge of his own box, deep into Norwich territory - where he was cynically fouled by Canaries skipper Craig Fleming who earned a yellow card for his troubles - he whipped in a delightful cross from the left which just evaded Adebola and John in the middle.
It took until the 17th minute for Huckerby to first deceive Duffy with his skill and he then delivered a good square ball which found on-loan midfielder Dean Marney whose shot was blocked by Heath.
Moments later and Bywater had his first serious shot to deal with and he collected a fiercely struck Dean Ashton free-kick with relative ease.
But the pressure told in the 21st minute and the goal came, hardly surprisingly, from Ashton who rose high to meet Marney's cross and buried his header past Bywater.
City composed themselves following the setback and played some decent football at times but there was very little in terms of an end product and Green was having a quiet time in the Norwich goal.
Norwich's football was far more direct and Leon McKenzie nearly made it 2-0 in the 31st minute when he took on Hall and curled a shot towards the far corner which was expertly tipped around the post by Bywater.
Norwich threatened to notch again before the interval as they forced City back but there were no more goals before the break.
No changes were made at half time and Coventry came out and once again looked lively, although it took until the 54th minute for them to produce a shot on goal - Stern John controlling Adebola's nod down on his chest and volleying a shot past the top corner.
McSheffrey nearly equalised in the 58th minute, forcing Green into action with a delightful curling free kick from 25 yards that was finger-tipped wide by the Norwich shot stopper.
Bywater then showed that whatever Green could do, he could do better as he dived at full stretch to keep out a piledriver from McKenzie after the pacy striker had broken clear of the City rearguard.
In the 65th minute, City were all square thanks to Adebola who met McSheffrey's superb cross with a crisp half volley from 10 yards out which flew past Green. Sheffers was on top of his game at this point and sent another decent free-kick narrowly wide as the Sky Blues went for the kill.
Norwich were always threatening in attacking positions and with the pace of Huckerby they could create something out of nothing. With 15 left on the clock he cut inside and fed Marney who squared for Ashton or McKenzie to tap in but thankfully the excellent Bywater was alert and cut it out.
At this point the game threatened to go either way - Doyle was next to try his luck for City with a grasscutter from the edge of the box which whistled wide of the upright.
With seven minutes remaining Coventry rode their luck as Huckerby advanced from the left and picked out Ashton who crashed a diving header against the top of the crossbar.
But City stood firm and were well worth a point from this game which will give them huge confidence going into their next two games on the road.
Norwich: Green; Louis-Jean; Drury; Fleming; Huckerby; Marney (Thorne 79); Ashton; McKenzie; Charlton (Jarrett 87); Hughes; Doherty. Subs (not used): Ward;; Brennan; Colin
Booked: Fleming (6); Doherty (81)
Coventry: Bywater; Hall; Page; Hughes; Duffy; Doyle; Adebola; McSheffrey (Jorgensen 87); Scowcroft; John; Heath. Subs (not used): Ince; Morrell; Osbourne; Shaw
Booked: Doyle (59); Duffy (78)
Referee: Mr R Beeby
Attendance: 25,355
